Reports from the field, the classroom, and beyond

From Practicum

Hannah Sabbagh, MPH ’14 in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences We’ve all been confused after reading a health-related article. No matter how important the tip or advice, sometimes health information can seem so complex that we do not process it in a way that sticks. The more overwhelming the message, the more likely we’re…

By Elburg van Boetzelaer, MPH’15 in Population and Family Health with a certificate in Public Health & Humanitarian Assistance It’s snowing when I return to the U.S. after spending my winter break in the Netherlands. I’m sitting at my desk, surrounded by books, files, and handwritten notes: residues of my first semester at Mailman. While attending lectures during my…

By Tim Tan, MD, MPH’14 in Population and Family Health with a certificate in Public Health & Humanitarian Assistance and a Columbia University International Emergency Medicine Fellow Following the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in the Philippines, I joined a medical team deployed by NYC Medics, a disaster relief NGO based in New York City, and provided…

By Stephanie Lucas, MPH’14 in Epidemiology with a Global Health Certificate From the Bohol earthquake just last month to the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda last week, it is heartbreaking to see how many natural disasters this country endures. I have a little over a month left of my three-month practicum in the Philippines with International Organization for…

By Lindsey Wahlstrom, MPH ’14 in the Department of Epidemiology After finishing my final exam, I was flipping through my long-neglected emails and came upon a request from the Communications Office at Mailman asking if I would be willing to write a blog post reflecting upon my first year as a Columbia MPH student. My initial reaction was a wholehearted: “Yes, of course!” I’ve always found it easier to type my thoughts and reactions rather than speak them. With the delete key a mere pinky-stretch away, I feel more secure that I can do justice to my experiences as I…